Baffle support



Feb. 17, 1931. H. J. KERR 3 BAFFLE SUPPORT Original Filed Jan. 21, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet l W INVENTOR 7 4 Tru/eivms H. J. KERR BAFFLE sUPPo T Feb. 17, 1931.

Original Filed Jan.

21, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 M, INVENTOR Patented Feb. 17, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HOWARD J. KERR, OF WESTFIELD, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO THE BABCOCK & WILCOX COMPANY, OF BAYONNE, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY RAFFLE SUPPORT Application filed January 21, 1926, Serial N'o. 82,657. Renewed July 18, 1930.

This invention relates to a device for supporting baffles between vertically disposed tubes and by means of the tubes, so as to prevent the same from slipping longitudinally of the tubes. The invention will be understood from the description in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a vertical section through 'a boiler illustrating an application of the invention; Fig. 2 is a section through the support showing the same applied to a tube; Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the same and Fig. 4: is a section along the line H of Fig. 3.

Heretofore, attempts have been made to support baffles by means of clamps that were clamped to the tubes of a water tube boiler. Such devices have not been satisfactory, because the bolts holding the clamps expand, due to the high heat, and permit the clamps to loosen, thus allowing the baffles to slide longitudinally of the tubes, especially when vibrations are set up. By the present invention, the bafiies are prevented from sliding out of place by means of an inexpensive attachment to the tubes. In Fig. 1 is indicated a boiler of the Stirling type in which the mud drum is shown at 8, and the upper steam and water drums at 9, and 11, the drums being connected by banks of tubes, as shown at 12, 13 and 14, and bafiles are provided in the usual way. The two bafiles 15 and 16, as shown in this figure, need to be supported to prevent the same from slipping downwardly, and

supports made in accordance with my inven- 5 tion are shown therefor at 17 and 18.

The baflie support is shown more clearly in Figs. 2, 3 and 4, in which a split ring 18 comprising two semicircular portions is shown on a water tube 13. This ring is made so that its inner cylindrical surface will fit closely around the tube 13, so as to provide for rapid heat transfer from the ring 18 to the tube 13, and the ends of the two portions of the ring are spaced apart slightly. The ring 18 is made with a conically-shaped or tapered' outer portion, and a ring 20 with a correspondingly shaped inner portion fits thereon with a smooth joint for rapid heat transfer. Each half of the ring 18 may be lightly spot welded, as at 19, to the tube 13 so as to prevent the same from slipping downward as the ring 20 is forced thereon. The tapered surface will cause the outer ring to clamp the inner ring tightly against the tube, so that it will be held in place by friction also. The ring 20 is preferably made in two semi-circular sections, with tongues 21 at the ends of one of said sections, and corresponding V grooves 22 at the ends of the other section,

although it may be made in the form of a continuous ring. The edge of the outside ring 20 extends beyond the edge of the inside ring 18, longitudinally of the tube, and the baffle 15 rests against the projecting end of the outside ring. 20, and is prevented thereby from sliding longitudinally of the tube, at the same time by its weight forcing the ring 20 into engagement with the ring 18.

The close fitting joints between the two rings and between the inner ring and the tube 13 enable the tube to keep the rings cool and prevent the same from becoming overheated. In case the outside ring 20 expands by heat, it will merely slip downward a slight distance along the conical surface of the inner ring and the welded spots will cause the inner ring to be retained in place during this time. The inner ring 18 may be placed on the tube 13 and welded thereto either before or after the tube is expanded into place. The outer ring 20 may be removed and replaced merely by slipping the same off of the inner ring and then moving the two halves relative to each other in a plane coincident with the split portion, thus passing the tongues 21 out of the grooves 22 and permitting the two halves to be separated, the reverse taking place for replacing the ring. When the ring 20 is made as a continuous ring, it is slipped over the end of the tube 13 before the tube is placed in position in the boiler;

I claim:

1. In a boiler, a water tube having a baflle disposed adjacent thereto, and a support engaging an end of said baflle and comprising two rings, one disposed within the other and having contacting faces inclined to the surface of the tube, the inner ring being split and one of the rings contacting with said baffle and forced into engagement with the other ring by the weight of the baffle.

2. In a boiler, a water tube having a baflle disposed adjacent thereto, a support engag- 5 ing an end of said baflle and comprising two rings, one disposed within the other and hav-- ing contacting faces inclined to the surface of the tube, the inner ring being split, and the outer ring contacting with said baflle and forced into engagement with said inner ring by the weight of the baffle.

3. In a boiler, a water tube having a baflie disposed adjacent thereto, a support engaging an end of said battle and comprising two rings, one disposed within the other and having contacting faces inclined to the surface of the tube, the inner ring being split, and the outer ring contacting with said baflie and forced into engagement with said inner ring by the weight of the baflle, said outer ring being formed in parts detachable from each other, for the purpose set forth.

' 4. In a boiler, a water tube having a bafile disposed adjacent thereto, a support engag g5 ing an end of said bafile and comprising two .rings, one disposed within the other and having contacting faces inclined to the surface of the tube, the inner ring being split, and the outer ring contacting with said baflie and forced into engagement with said inner ring by the weight of the baflle, said outer ring being formed in parts detachable from each other by movement transversely of the length of the tube, for the purpose set forth.

5. In a boiler, a water tube having a baflie disposed adjacent thereto, a support engaging an end of said baflie and comprising two rings, one disposed within the other and having contacting faces inclined to the surface 40 of the tube, the inner ring'being split and lightly welded to the tube, and the outer ring contacting with said bafiie and forced into engagement with said inner ring by the weight of the baflie.

6. In a boiler, a water tube having a baffle disposed adjacent thereto, a support engaging an end of said baflie and comprising two rings, one disposed within the other and having contacting faces inclined to the surface of the tube, the inner ring being split, and the outer ring contacting with said bafile and forced into engagement with said inner ring by the weight of the bafile, said outer ring being formed in parts detachable from each other by movement transversely of the length of the tube, the thickness of the outer ring being less than the difference between the inner diameter of the outer ring and the outer diameter of the tube.

an HOWARD J. ERR. 

